Democrats’ solution to America’s homelessness epidemic isn’t to curb it, but to expand it — into everyone’s neighborhoods. A panel in the Democrat-led city of Portland, Oregon wants all new buildings — both commercial and residential — to designate spaces for the homeless, including providing sleeping camps.
The move to uglify Portland is being led by Oriana Magnera, a commissioner on the City of Portland’s Planning and Sustainability Commission.
“We have increasing housing costs and we cannot support all of the people who live here now and are going to live here in the future,” Magnera said (via Willamette Week). “There’s a benefit for designing buildings that could be used for rest. That’s a reality of the place we live in right now and the housing shortage we have right now.”
Oriana Magnera has a bachelor’s degree in Women’s Studies and is the director of “climate policy” at Verde, a Portland “environmental justice” group.
For some reason, Magnera is not concerned that encouraging homeless people to loiter and defecate in front of residential and commercial buildings would pollute those areas, tank real-estate values, and hurt businesses. That would cripple Portland economically and lead to more homelessness.
In a 5-4 vote last month, the City of Portland’s Planning and Sustainability Commission voted to require new buildings to designate spaces out front for homeless camping.
Magnera pushed to explicitly state in the guidelines that the homeless can “rest and be welcome” in front of residential and commercial buildings. “We need spaces where folks can feel supported and safe,” she chirped.
Meanwhile, Portland residents say they increasingly feel unsafe as homeless people barrage their neighborhoods.
(Source: KGW8 News)
Jeff Bachrach is a lawyer who specializes in land use who’s on the Portland planning commission. He opposes the motion, saying the solution is to build more homeless shelters, not encourage the homeless to rest, sleep, and defecate everywhere.
“We don’t have a policy in this city — whether it’s for public parks or quasi-public open spaces — that says we want homeless people sleeping outside and pitching tents,” Bachrach said. “To the contrary, we are building more shelters and discouraging tents.”
The City of Portland’s Planning and Sustainability Commission will meet again on Dec. 17 to make their recommendations to the Design Commission, which will send their recommendations to the City Council. “I hope the Design Commission will kill this idea,” Bachrach said.
It’s not surprising that homelessness has spiked in Democrat-led cities like Portland, Seattle, New York, and San Francisco. It’s also not surprising that these cities are “sanctuary cities” that harbor and welcome illegal aliens.
In its effort to boost its voting bloc by any means necessary, the Left refuses to acknowledge the link between mass illegal immigration and the alarming surge in homelessness among Americans.
In August, a Sacramento businesswoman posted a viral Twitter video lamenting that California’s left-wing policies have caused the once-thriving Golden State to tumble into homelessness, crime, and poverty.
The woman said she had to close her hair salon due to the destructive policies of California’s Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom.
https://twitter.com/sundance7055/status/1163205094202073088
“The governor of CA and his liberal ideology ruined my business,” the woman tweeted in August 2019. “I decided to close the doors today. I can’t do it anymore and I’m irate. Sincerely, a hardworking, self-built, self-employed California business owner.”
Like California Congresswomen Nancy Pelosi and Maxine Waters, Governor Newsom has ignored the plight of California citizens and lawful residents while aggressively pushing for free healthcare, free housing and amnesty for the millions of illegal aliens barraging the state.
Another small-business owner said she, too, has a store that has been destroyed by California lawmakers’ neglect. “Sacramento used to be beautiful,” she said.
This is what will happen to Portland it decides to mandate designated spaces for the homeless in front of residential and commercial buildings.
I also have a business in downtown Sacramento. We all need to come together (groups have a louder voice then individuals) Sacramento used to be beautiful
— 🇺🇲 Leticia 🇺🇸 (@beautifulalwys) August 17, 2019
Reminder: This is how Democratic leaders deal with the homeless.
De Blasio has police clear homeless from subway so he can have ‘clean’ ride https://t.co/pMxcOELNAS pic.twitter.com/DTNoIoTKAj
— Conservative News (@BIZPACReview) July 25, 2017
Portland rioters put police cap on pig’s head and set it on fire with American flag
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Samantha Chang is a senior staff writer for BizPac Review. She is a financial editor and lawyer based in New York City.
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